Mahama is the founder and financier of the hawks - NPP alleges

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of being the founder and financier of vigilante group, the Hawks.

The party, at a press conference addressed at the headquarters in Asylum Down today [Tuesday] said, the vigilante group was formed through the NDC’s unity walks.

Communications Director, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah addressing the media said, the NDC has an agenda to create fear and panic ahead of the 2020 elections.

He was reacting to the shooting incident at Kumasi on Monday at the NDC party headquarters and the meeting Mr Mahama had with diplomats over the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

He said, when President Akufo-Addo condemned the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election shootings, the former president rather choose to call for “boot-for-boot”.

Mr. Mahama and the NDC sought to deliberately infuse a sense of political violence in the country ahead of the 2020 elections, he suggested.

He condemned the former president for peddling what he termed as falsehoods about the Ayawaso West Wuogon shooting incident.

The party challenged Mr Mahama to show the shooting incident to the diplomats just like he did with the Ayawaso West Wuogon incident.

The NPP called on Mr Mahama to also apologize for showing the diplomats fake videos.

The Hawks was recently formed to provide security for NDC related activities, a source familiar with the mission of the group has told Pulse.com.gh.

Heavily built men in branded T-shirts labelled “The Hawks” were on full display at the NDC Unity Walk in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

Former Ejisu/Juabeng Municipal Chief Executive, Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, in a recent interview said the Hawks of the NDC will not foment any trouble in the country as compared to the governing party’s vigilante groups– the Invincible Forces and Delta Forces.

In justifying the formation and the existence of NPP vigilante groups he said, “If they have Invincible Forces, we also have The Hawks, and, so, we will see.

“We in the NDC want peace in the country, we will not foment any trouble in the country.

“The Hawks will provide security for the party as we are in opposition.”